Description
War Merit Cross Brief History
The War Merit Cross (Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a decoration instituted by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Established on 18 October 1939 by Adolf Hitler, the award was designed to recognise both military personnel and civilians for meritorious service to the war effort that did not involve direct combat. It served as a counterpart to the more prestigious Iron Cross, which was reserved for acts of bravery in battle.
The War Merit Cross was issued in several classes: the 2nd Class, the 1st Class, and the War Merit Medal for civilians. Each class could be awarded with or without swords, the presence of swords signifying a contribution made under conditions involving personal risk (usually to soldiers), and without swords for non-combatant services. Recipients ranged from soldiers working in logistics and administration to civilian workers and officials contributing significantly to the German war machine.
